Newark – Within minutes of shots being fired in the immediate vicinity of the Basilica Cathedral of the Sacred Heart this afternoon, EssexCounty sheriff’s officers arrested a suspect and recovered his gun.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that officers at his Patrol Division headquarters across the street from the church saw a suspect on a bicycle fire two shots at an adult male, age 18, and an adult female, age 25, on Victoria Avenue at approximately 2:10 p.m. on Thursday.

Fontoura said the sheriff’s officers initiated an immediate foot pursuit.When the suspect ran past 66 Summer Avenue he was observed stashing his weapon in a window air-conditioning vent.

The suspect, a 17-year-old male, was soon arrested and his handgun, a .38 caliber Colt revolver, was recovered.During a subsequent search the sheriff’s officers discovered seven bags of ‘crack’ cocaine in the suspect’s pants pocket.

Sheriff Fontoura said that both victims and the suspect were questioned and that the shooting may have been gang-related.

Attempted murder, weapons and drug charges against the suspect are pending.Later today, the suspect will be lodged in the EssexCountyYouthDetentionCenter.